Goal structure



Feb. 8, 1966 R. H. SHEETS 3,233,897

GOAL STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 29, 1962 imp/Mfrs.

2447, zvgm l United States Patent() 3,233,897 GOAL STRUCTURE Ray H.Sheets, St. Louis County, Mo., assignor to Medart Lockers, Inc.,Greenwood, Miss., a corporation of Mississippi Filed Aug. 29, 1962, Ser.No. 220,274

2 Claims. (Cl. 273-15) The present invention relatesV generally to goalstructures and more particularly to a goal structure for basketball andsimilar sports. Y

Many goal structures have been devised and used heretofore. A11 knownexisting structures, however, have had one or more disadvantages and forthis and other reasons have not been entirely satisfactory. Thedisadfvantages and shortcomings which have been most noticeable andtroublesome in existing goal structures, and particularly basketballgoal structures, are d-ue to surface imperfections or defects in theplaying surface which are caused during construction by the constructionmeans and methods employed; the fact that most existing structures arenoisy producing objectionable drumming and vibrating sounds when struck;and furthermore most existing goal structures are relatively weak andtend to warp and bend and become inaccurate. Warping and bending alsocontribute to making structures objectionably noisy and a Warped or bentstructure may also be unacceptable for competitive play.

The present goal structure overcomes these and other objectionableIfeatures and shortcomings of the known existing structures.

Briey, the present goal structure comprises a sheet metal member orbank, one surface of which yforms a playing surface, a plurality ofspaced threaded members welded to the sheet metal member opposite fromsaid playing surface, a framework o-f rigid support members having aplurality of spaced openings that register with the threaded members, alayer of cushioning material positioned between the sheet metal membersand the framework, and means cooperating with the threaded members tosecure the framework to the sheet metal .members with the cushioningmaterial therebetween.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide an improvedgoal structure for basketball and similar sports.

Another object is to improve the goal structure.

Another object is to lreduce objectionable noises such as drumming andvibration noises in a goal structure.

Another object is to provide improved support for the -playing surfaceof a structure.

Another object is to provide a rela-tively inexpensive and easy toconstruct goal structure.

Another object is to minimize bending and warping of a flat sheet metalmember.

These and other objects and advantages of the subject goalstructureiwill become apparent after considering the following detaileddescription of a preferred embodiment in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a rear View of a goal structure construction according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged `cross-sectional view taken on `line 2-2 of FIG.l; and

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken online 3 3 of FIG. l.

Referring to the drawing by reference numbers, number is a basketballgoal structure constructed according to the present invention. Thestructure 10 includes a sheet -metal member or bank 12 having the shapeof a basketball rebound board or backstop. The particular playingsurface of a shape of the rebound surface is not important to theinvention and it is contemplated to make goal structures according tothe present invention in many ditferent sllapes and sizes including thewell known rectangular s ape.

The sheet metal member 12 has a rearwardly extending peripheral flange14 and a playing surface 16.' A plurality of threaded studs 18 arewelded at preselected locations to the rear surface 20 o-f the member 12as lshown in FIG. l. It is important that the studs 18 be welded to thesurface 20 using a welding instrument operated at a posi-tion on therear side of the backstop l member 12. This is in order to .preventmarring or damaging the playing surface 16. A spot welding tool can beused to weld the studs 18 to the surface 20. The positions for studs 18can be located and the studs can be |held during welding by a suitablejig, not shown.

A rigid frame 22 is constructed for attaching to the rear surface 20 offthe member 12. The frame 22 is lformed of a plurality of connectedmembers 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38 and 40 ywhich are preassernbledusing a jig, not shown, and which are preferably connected together bywelding as shown by the triangular welds 41 in FIG. l. Another jig canbe used to locate and drill holes 42 (FIG. 3) at suitable llocations inthe frame 22 to register with the studs 18.

After the studs 18 are attached to the member 12, strips of perforatedcushioning material 44 are placed over the studs 18 and against thesurface 20. The material 44 is arranged on the surface 20 in the shapeof the frame 22. Thereafter with the material 44 in the positiondescribed the frame 22 is moved to a position against the surface 20with the studs 18 extending through the holes 42. Lock Washers 46 andnuts 48 are 4then placed on each stud 18 and tightened to hold the framerigidly against the member 12. This compresses the cushioning material44 which has a noise deadening effect between the frame 22 and themember 12.

When the yframe is in the position described, the ends of certain of theframe members .abut the peripheral llange 14. It is usually desirable toweld these abutting frame ends to the ilange 14 as shown and by thewelds 50 to increase the strength of the struture and to further reducenoise and vibration therein.

The frame 22 is also provided with mounting members 62, fo-ur beingshown, for mounting the goal 10 on a supporting structure (not shown).The form and locations of the members `52 can be varied depending uponthe construction of the supporting structure. The members 52 are weldedor otherwise attached to the frame 22. All of the frame members 24-40and the members 52 are sho-wn as angle iron pieces for illustrativepurposes, although other forms and shapes can also be used, if desired.

Thus there has been shown and described a novel basketball backstop orthe like which fulfills all of the objects and advantages soughttherefor. Many changes, modifications and variations of the subject goalstructure will become apparent to those skilled -in the art afterconsidering this specification and the accompanying drawing whichdisclose a particular preferred embodiment. All such changes,modifications and Variations which do not depart from the spirit andscope of the invention are deemed covered by the invention which islimited only by the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. In a basketball backstop assembly the improvement of a metal bankhaving a generally vertical flat playing face and a rear surface, saidbank having a peripheral flange projecting outwardly from the rearsurface to stitfen the marginal areas of the vertical playing face, apre-assembled frame including a plurality of elements distributed overthe rear surface of said bank, each of said elements having a at face ofsubstantial width presented to said rear surface and lying insubstantially the same plane with the flat faces of others of saidelements, meansV carried Vrby the rear surface olf `said bank andprojecting outwardly therefrom to secure said frame to` 'said ban-k at a`plurality of spaced .places to retain said at playing sunfacesubstantially flat and to stiife'n said bank behind said verticalplayingface yinwardly of said peripheral flan-ge, and basketball impactssound deadening means on said bank and in position to reduce vibrationin said. playing face, -said sound deadening means vcomprisingcompressible cushion strips engaging elongated areas of `the bank bybeing disposed between said fla't `face of said frame 'elements and the.adjacent 15 rear surface of said bank, said sou'nd and vibrationdeadening 'cushioning stripsbeing secured in position by said projectingmeans securing said iframe to said bank.

2. The assembly as set forth in claim 1, whe-rein the 'means carried bythe rear surface of the bank and projecting outwardly therefromcomprises metal studs Welded to said rear face.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,195,2898/191'6l Stevens 20-6 1,745,171 .1f/1930 ,Kocher 20-6 10 2,363,63411/1944 Alrbaoh 273-15 OTHER REFERENCES Nelson Sales Corp., catalog 48A,published January 1948, page designated 9c relied on.

RICHARD C. PINKHA'M, Primary Examiner. D'ELBERT B. LOWE, Examiner'.

1. IN A BASKETBALL BACKSTOP ASSEMBLY THE IMPROVEMENT OF A METAL BANK HAVING A GENERALLY VERTICAL FLAT PLAYING FACE AND A REAR SURFACE, SAID BANK HAVING A PERIPHERAL FLANGE PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM THE REAR SURFACE TO STIFFEN THE MARGINAL AREAS OF THE VERTICAL PLAYING FACE, A PRE-ASSEMBLED FRAME INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF ELEMENTS DISTRIBUTED OVER THE REAR SURFACE OF SAID BANK, EACH OF SAID ELEMENTS HAVING A FLAT FACE OF SUBSTANTIAL WIDTH PRESENTED TO SAID REAR SURFACE AND LYING IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME PLANE WITH THE FLAT FACES OF OTHERS OF SAID ELEMENTS, MEANS CARRIED BY THE REAR SURFACE OF SAID BANK AND PROJECTING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM TO SECURE SAID FRAME TO SAID BANK AT A PLURALITY OF SPACED PLACES TO RETAIN SAID FLAT PLAYING SURFACE SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT AND TO STIFFEN SAID BANK BEHIND SAID VERTICAL PLAYING FACE INWARDLY OF SAID PERIPHERAL FLANGE, AND BASKETBALL IMPACTS SOUND DEADENING MEANS ON SAID BANK AND IN POSITION TO REDUCE VIBRATION IN SAID PLAYING FACE, SAID SOUND DEADENING MEANS COMPRISING COMPRESSIBLE CUSHION STRIPS ENGAGING ELONGATED AREAS OF THE BANK BY BEING DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID FLAT FACE OF SAID FRAME ELEMENTS AND THE ADJACENT REAR SURFACE OF SAID BANK, SAID SOUND AND VIBRATION DEADENING CUSHIONING STRIPS BEING SECURED IN POSITION BY SAID PROJECTING MEANS SECURING SAID FRAME TO SAID BANK. 